Former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic enters the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, on November 22, 2017, to hear the verdict in his genocide trial | Peter Dejong/AFP via Getty Images

Ratko Mladić convicted of genocide

Former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladić was on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity by a U.N. tribunal in The Hague.

Known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," Mladić, 74, was convicted of the massacre of more than 7,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995 and the siege of Sarajevo in which more than 10,000 died, the BBC reported.

Judge Alphons Orie said Mladić’s crimes “rank among the most heinous known to humankind and include genocide and extermination.”

As he entered the courtroom, Mladić gave a smile and thumbs-up to the cameras. He also delayed the verdict being read out by half an hour by requesting a bathroom break. When he returned, his legal team asked for proceedings to be halted because of his high blood pressure, but judges denied the request. Mladić stood up and shouted at the judges, and was forcibly removed from the courtroom to allow the verdicts to be read out.

Mladić was chief of staff of Bosnian Serb forces from 1992 until 1996. He faced 11 charges, two of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and four of violations of the laws or customs of war. He was cleared of one count of genocide, but found guilty of all other charges.

Mladić was a fugitive for 14 years before his arrest in 2011 in northern Serbia. After being transferred to the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, he refused to enter a plea. A not guilty plea was eventually given on his behalf.

The trial at the court — which will be closed down this year — took 530 days spread over more than four years.